September 11, 2011

Monday, 11 September 1911

Amundsen

It was so cold that the liquid in the compasses froze, making them useless, and there was no sun to steer by. They stopped after only four miles and built two igloos, not wanting to repeat the previous night's experience in a tent. The temperature was -52° C, with wind and fog.

"The Chief's mood is at freezing point," observed Bjaaland, "and he took the decision to turn for home, and just as well, otherwise we would have frozen to death." [1]

"To risk men and animals out of sheer obstinacy and continue," Amundsen wrote in his diary, "just because we have started on our way -- that would never occur to me. If we are to win this game, the pieces must be moved carefully -- one false move, and everything can be lost." [2]

"Let that be a lesson to start so early on such a long and important journey," grumbled Johansen. "One cannot think exclusively about the one thing; to get to the Pole before the English." [3]

Amundsen insisted, though, that they would go on to the depot at 80° some miles ahead, to dump their loads and be able to travel light when they did start for the Pole.

"The igloo was nice and warm," added Bjaaland philosophically, "unlike the tent which was full of rime frost. Sleeping bags and clothes are wet through; in fact stiff as iron, but when one has finally got into them, one just has to stay there. God help me it was just shit and best forgotten." [4]

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About this page

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Amundsen and Scott expeditions to the South Pole.

Scott's route

Amundsen's route

A Note on Dates

When the Fram crossed the International Date Line on the way South, Amundsen did not drop a day from his calendar. The Norwegian diaries from mid-January 1911 to late January 1912 thus were on "Framheim time", dated one day later than they should have been: that is, according to Greenwich Mean Time instead of local time. Amundsen noted this specifically in his entry for the Pole itself, headed "Friday 15 December (really 14th)". No little confusion arises in published sources as a result, and doubtless a number of inconsistencies appear on this page. (See the entry for 10 January 1911 for further information.)

Dates are here adjusted to one day earlier than written in the Norwegian diaries, for entries between 10 January 1911 and late January 1912. Bibliographic citations are as in the published sources.